Icy Blue
by limeorcoconut
Summary: The teams heads to a case in Mississippi where brunettes have been dissapearing over the last few weeks. When they finally get a lead, the case takes a turn for the worse. Will be a team fic.
1. Prologue

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds**_

**Prologue**

Rain poured down from the sky pelting hard against his dark skin. He continuously wiped at his eyes trying desperately to see through the thick curtain of rain that was blurring his vision. He called out her name repeatedly, it echoing in the distance as he inwardly prayed that she would respond. When nothing but the wind answered his call he held his breath before diving into the rampant depths of the river.

He clutched the sides of the boat as it rocked back and forth viciously, water splashing over the sides and soaking his running shoes. His eyes were closed tightly as he tried to keep himself from being thrown overboard into the icy blue water. The sounds of the rain, wind and calls of her name blended together as Reid tried to keep this moment from being etched into his mind forever. He didn't even open his eyes when he heard Morgan jump into the raging water but instead held on tighter.

She gasped for air when her head bobbed above the surface before she was quickly pulled under again. She tried to swim but the current continued to sweep her under the water. She kicked her feet with all the force she had left in her slowly making her way towards the surface again. Roots from a fallen tree held her under, her shirt catching on a branch. She struggled to get free as her lungs slowly began to fill with water.

_**A/N: Sorry for the short chapter but it is just the prologue, future chapters will be longer. Tell me what you think so I know whether or not I should continue. This will probably end up being about six or seven chapters. Thanks for reading…. Please review :)**_


	2. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds**_

_**Chapter One**_

3 days earlier- Virginia

A cool breeze came through the open window, the curtains blowing ever so slightly. Hotch lay there counting puffy, white sheep wondering if morning would ever come. He was somewhere near sheep number 235 and although he was tired, sleep seemed to be evading him yet again. He had thought about getting up many times over the last hour but had hoped that just maybe sleep would drag him back in to world of unconsciousness. He felt his eyelids begin to get heavy as he reached sheep number 327 and just as he was about to succumb to sleep the phone ringing jerked him awake once more.

Prentiss startled awake at the sound of a ringing phone somewhere close by. She turned on her side and groaned when she saw that the clock read 4:34 a.m. Reaching blindly for her cell she greeted the caller with a grumpy "what", not having to inquire who it was.

"I know it's late, but we have a case," JJ stated with a yawn.

"More like early, can't it wait another couple of hours?" Prentiss grumbled.

"No can do, the sheriff wants us in Vicksburg, Mississippi by 8 this morning."

"Fine, I'll be there soon," she replied as she kicked the covers off and began to prepare herself for yet another case.

Morgan looked at the clock, 4:42 a.m. That gave him enough time to get up for a morning jog and then shower before heading out to breakfast on his way into the bureau. He looked over at the girl he had met at the bar last night, long blonde hair splayed across his pillow, 'I'll make it a quick run,' he thought eagerly to himself as the idea of sharing a shower entered his mind. Just as he was about to throw the covers back his phone vibrated on the nightstand.

"Hey JJ, what's up?" he greeted. He didn't really have to ask because it was painstakingly obvious that they had a new case.

"We are heading out to Mississippi, looks like a bad one."

"I'll be there in thirty, see you then." If he skipped his morning jog he would still have time for that shared shower he thought to himself, sounded like a brilliant plan.

Colours danced in circles as small leprechaun creatures ran wildly through the woods. Trees changed shape and form as the light bounced off the leaves in all different directions. Spencer Reid was in a world of bliss, a dreamland that he usually preferred over the harsh reality that was his job. Suddenly his dream was interrupted by a loud ringing, frightening the leprechauns as they turned to run in the opposite direction. Reid wrinkled his brow in confusion as he looked around for the source of the noise. Seconds later he was brought out of his sleep by the obtrusive ringing of his cell phone. He listened to JJ tell him they had a case in Mississippi. To wake himself up he began to recite all the facts he knew about Vicksburg, Mississippi as he combed his hair.

Rossi wasn't overly fond of mornings so when his cell phone began to chirp at 4:48 a.m. he was less than impressed. He tuned JJ out as she told him some minor details of the case before hanging up with a yawn. He turned to the clock before letting a small smile cross his lips, he still had time for 20 minutes of sleep.

JJ made her way into the conference room juggling coffee and files, nearly tripping as she made her way to the front of the room. She passed the files around to the team before running a hand through her hair tiredly. She looked around at the team as some yawned and others sipped at their coffee. She felt bad for awaking them at such an early hour but the sheriff had sounded desperate over the phone. She waited for the team to open the files in front of them and then she began;

"These three women have been found dead along the shore of the Mississippi river in Vicksburg, Mississippi over the last four weeks; Nicole Shire, Amanda Griggs and Tammy Smith. A fourth, Jesse Taylor, was reported missing last night around 10 o'clock"

"How do we know this is the work of a serial killer?" Rossi questioned obviously still agitated by the early morning wake up call.

"Well all three women had ligature marks on their wrists and ankles. They were left face down in the dirt and every one of them was wearing a yellow sundress."

"Also they are all brunettes," Reid noted as he continued to study the photos of the four women.

"They all hold high authority jobs as well. Two were lawyers, one was a CEO and the latest was the high school principal," Morgan relayed. JJ nodded agreeing with their observations.

"For the first two victims there was five days between their disappearance and their bodies being found. The latest one only had a difference of three days."

"His cycle is speeding up, the thrill of the kill isn't exciting him as long," Hotch stated. It was always bad when the cycles began to quicken as it gave them less time to find the victim alive. JJ looked at her watch realizing that they needed to get going if they were going to be in Vicksburg on time. Hotch noticed JJ looking at the clock and realized she was in a hurry. "Wheels up in twenty," he said as he stood and walked out of the room.

7:01a.m.

The knight slid across the board with perfect grace followed by an all too smug "check mate" from Spencer Reid. Morgan folded his arms in a slight pout as he lost yet another game of chess to Reid.

"I'm done kid," Morgan said as he stood and ruffled Reid's hair before making his way towards the back of the plane.

"Any other takers?" Reid questioned, the smug look still present on his face.

"I'll play a game," Prentiss said as she stood from her seat across the aisle and stretched. Reid frowned, knowing his winning streak was about to come to an abrupt end as Prentiss was the one team member who could kick his ass.

Vicksburg Mississippi – 7:57 a.m.

JJ sighed in relief as they reached the police station with only minutes to spare. "Sheriff Collins, I'm Agent Jareau and this is SSA's Hotch and Rossi and Dr. Reid," she stated as she held out her hand, the sheriff shaking it firmly.

"Thank God you're here. Jesse's family is going insane with worry; in fact the whole town is anxious, she is very well known around these parts," he stated. His eyes were tired, his clothes wrinkled and his hair was sticking out at every angle. The case was defiantly taking its toll on him.

"Well Sir, if you show us to our work space we can get started." The sheriff nodded and led the team towards the room designated for them. A round table sat in the middle of the room surrounded by six chairs. A long shelf ran along the back of the room covered in files and a coffee pot sat in the corner. It was nice JJ had to admit, albeit quite small. The team would be at each other's necks by the end of this case being confined to such a small space, but it like many others would have to do.

9:49 a.m.

Prentiss and Morgan were kneeled at the latest dump site looking for anything that might have been missed. The body had been removed and all that was really left were the faint outlines of footprints from the techs that had been there earlier in the week. Finding nothing worth noting, Prentiss stood and walked towards the water's edge. The water was an icy blue colour, running wildly over rocks and trees that protruded above the surface. "Water sure is moving fast, would hate to fall in there." Morgan walked up beside her as he nodded his head in agreement.

"I'm sure Reid will have all the facts on the Mississippi river. We will have to ask him later how many people a year drowns in there." Prentiss scrunched up her nose in disagreement, "I don't need to know about any more deaths then I have to." Morgan just shrugged his shoulders and they began to make their way towards the next dump site.

4:36p.m.

JJ moved quickly down the front stairs of the old, yellow brick house before sinking into step with Hotch. They had visited all four families and yet seemed no farther ahead than they had been this morning. Hotch's mood had turned for the worse due to the lack of progress so JJ didn't even attempt small talk on the drive back to the station, but instead looked out the windows. A light breeze had the leaves twirling and the long grass swaying. The smell of fresh cut grass filled the air and left JJ feeling a strange sense of calm. She just hoped it wasn't the calm before the storm.

7:22 p.m.

Reid was slumped over the table working hard at the geographical profile. JJ sat next to him, nose right in the file attempting to learn everything she could about the victims and their families. Reid couldn't help the relief he felt when he saw Morgan and Prentiss enter the station bearing coffee for the entire team. He accepted his greedily and sipped at the freshly brewed coffee. He knew that coffee was going to be his best friend the next few days as time was slowly wearing out for Jesse Taylor.

9:45 p.m.

The cement was cold on her bare arms and legs sending a shiver down her spine. She fought to loosen the ropes from around her wrists but only succeeded in digging them farther into her skin. She bit her lip in frustration at her inability to do anything but wiggle around like a worm on the floor. Blood splatters covered the floor and walls and the coppery smell filled her nose. She wondered how many people's blood covered the walls and floor and wondered if soon hers would too. Wondering if soon she would be one of the lifeless bodies found on the lakeshore, cut and bruised and dirty. Footsteps sounded outside the door snapping her out of her reverie. She now lay perfectly still as she awaited his entrance.

_**Please read and review!**_


	3. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds**_

_**Chapter Two**_

Chapter 2- 2 days earlier- 8:03 a.m.

Rossi looked around at the team who after only a few short hours of sleep were at it again. Reid was clutching his coffee like it was a lifeline sipping at it as he worked victimology. JJ and Hotch were getting ready to head out and talk to one of the victims' families yet again. JJ stifled a yawn as she pulled her coat on, and then made her way out the door behind Hotch. Morgan sat tapping his fingers on the desk as he looked through a file as an annoyed Prentiss glared at him from across the table. Morgan seemingly focused on his reading didn't notice until Prentiss finally said, "Morgan I swear to God". He looked up at her and noticed her gaze was fixed on his hand, he mumbled a quick apology before getting back to work. Within two minutes his hand was again drumming on the table and he was now receiving exacerbated looks from both Prentiss and Reid. Rossi chuckled to himself; it was going to be a long day.

10:01 a.m.

"Tina hurry up, we are never going to make it there at this pace," Mike whined irritated at their slow progress. He was walking faster backwards then she was forwards. They had been working there way up the hill for two and a half hours already and were still a couple miles from where they wished to camp. Sweat was trickling down his face and back as the hot sun beat down on him. He was in a hurry to get there so he could dive into the refreshing pond next to their campsite.

"There are so many bugs… Eww," Tina said as she slapped at yet another mosquito on her arm and one buzzed by her ear. Mike rolled his eyes about to start walking forwards again when he tripped, nearly hitting his head off a rock. About to curse whatever it was he had tripped over he found himself covering his ears instead as Tina let out a loud scream. What he thought was a stump or a log he now realized was a young brunette cold to the touch, staring at him with dead eyes and wearing a yellow sundress.

12:48 p.m.

Prentiss rolled down her window to breathe in the fresh air. She wasn't sure what had Rossi agitated enough to light up a cigar, but the smoke was irritating her nostrils. She thought about complaining but realized if he was agitated enough to break out the cigars then complaining really wasn't going to help her situation. They were currently making their way down a winding road towards a dumpsite that had been discovered by two teenagers earlier in the day. She grabbed the handle when they hit a pothole almost sending her flying from her seat. She glared at Rossi who just shrugged his shoulders and continued to drive along nonchalantly, that disgusting cigar hanging from his mouth.

1:26 p.m.

Morgan closed his phone and made his way back over to the table where the rest of the team was sitting. "That was Prentiss, she says that the body doesn't appear to be Jesse Taylor but they are going to use dental records to confirm."

"Morgan, call Garcia and see if there are any missing persons who match the description from the last three weeks and have her send us the info," Hotch said and Morgan nodded before again opening his phone.

1:29 p.m.- Quantico, Virginia

Garcia was busy at work lining up all her trolls according to hair colour when the phone rang. She smiled; it had been awhile since she had heard from her fine furry friends down in Mississippi. She was even more delighted when it was Morgan's voice that sounded from the other end of the line. She listened intently to Morgan's instructions before getting to work; her trolls would have to wait.

4:49 p.m. Quantico, Virginia

The room was silent besides the sound of fingers moving swiftly across the keyboard with practiced ease. Garcia had found a list of missing persons in the Vicksburg area. Within the last three weeks three people had been reported missing. One was an 18 year old boy who had gone missing two weeks ago after a party on the weekend, this obviously wasn't who her team was searching for. The second was a 26 year old blonde who hadn't come home from work 6 nights ago. The husband stated that she had probably run off with another man as this was not uncommon for her. The third was a 33 year old brunette who had gone missing only two days ago, the same night as Jesse. It hadn't been reported until earlier this morning as the husband had been out of town on a business trip and thought nothing of it when she didn't return his calls, apparently a common routine for the couple. Knowing this was the information her team was looking for she speed dialed her favourite chocolate God to relay the information.

5:13 p.m. Vicksburg, Mississippi

"Brunette, 33 years old by the name of Casey Michaels. She is the main surgeon at the local hospital and has been missing for two days. Garcia compared the pictures and believes it is her but is waiting for the dental records to confirm," Morgan relayed to the team.

"Wait if she went missing two days ago that means the unsub was holding two people at the same time," Reid stated.

"Which means he is evolving and that we can't be sure Jesse is still alive," Prentiss pointed out.

"Reid, add the dump site to the geographical profile. Rossi and Prentiss head over to the Michaels home and talk with the husband. JJ set up a press conference for tomorrow morning so we can alert the public and Morgan run through the victims file to see if she has anything else in common with the other victims." The team nodded and began their assignment. Just as they were about to head out the door they were stopped by Hotch's voice, "and guys, hurry." They all nodded and carried on.

6:14p.m.

Hotch rubbed his hands over his tired face as Sheriff Collins asked for the third time in the last hour if they had made any progress. They had a pretty good profile put together that they planned on delivering in a few minutes, but that didn't seem to be enough for the Sheriff. They had only been here a little less than 48 hours and yet it felt like they had been here for days. Hotch already knew that it was going to be one of those cases.

6:32 p.m.

Rossi narrowed his eyes at Prentiss as she snapped her gum for the millionth time since they had left station. Either she didn't notice his death glare or she was ignoring him because as he slowed for the red light she did it yet again. Overly irritated now the second the light turned green he slammed his foot on the gas, taking the left turn much quicker than necessary. Nearly smashing her head on the dash board Prentiss turned to him and yelled, "What the hell was that Rossi? Are you trying to kill us before we even make it to the family's house?" Rossi ignored her and continued to accelerate to an unreasonably fast pace. One side of his mouth quirked up when he noticed her grabbing the handle too concentrated on his maniac driving to smack her gum. That will show her he thought.

8:29 p.m.

Two hours later the team stood in front of all the deputies and the sheriff as they prepared to deliver the profile. Once the room had quieted Hotch started to speak, "We believe we are looking for a white male between the ages of 25 and 40. He is a sadist as he gets off on his victims pain." He broke off just as Prentiss began,

"He likely was married to, or close to someone in a high power position who left him. He is now kidnapping these girls as a means to get back at all women."

Morgan continued, "The yellow dress probably has a significant meaning to him. He is dressing the girls in them as an attempt to relive some sort of memory or fantasy. "

"He has probably lived in the area most of his life, and goes by unnoticed by others. He seems like a nice guy and is probably relatively handsome," Reid added.

"He is looking for brunette women between the ages of 28 and 35 who hold high position careers. All women who fit this criteria should be extremely cautious as they carry out their routines," JJ finished.

8:34 p.m.

Dark, cool eyes set off his perfect facial features. Stubble grazed his cheekbones, a small smile played on his lips, he was extremely handsome. By now she had these features memorized as she concentrated on his face, trying to block out this nightmare. Her hands were tied high above her head, her feet hanging an inch above the ground. Her arms burned in protest as the ropes dug further into her wrists. Jesse cried out in pain yet again as he whipped her bare skin for the umpteenth time in the last few minutes. Over and over again the harsh leather strap bit into her skin, causing blood to ooze from her back, the coppery scent filling the air. After what seemed like ions he finally stopped, silence filling the room. Jesse couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped her lips as the stinging began to die down slightly. That sigh was quickly replaced with fear when from somewhere behind his back he pulled a knife, its sharp blade glowing in the dim light. HoHotosfgjldksfdfkjsakfjdsf

_**A/N: I am going to use one chapter to cover each day leading up to present time. The last day will occur over about three chapters I believe. Hope you are enjoying the story so far. Please review!**_


	4. Chapter 3

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds**_

Chapter 3- One day earlier

9: 32 a.m.

JJ stood in front of the police station as half a dozen microphones were shoved in front of her face and news reporters from all over the state were firing questions faster then she could answer. She held her hands in front of her as she took in a deep breath before asking everyone to quiet down and step back so she could answer their questions individually. She delivered important parts of the profile and warned the targeted women before answering questions with practiced ease. She sighed in relief as the crowd eventually began to die down and the press conference came to an end. For now the vultures were fed.

2:26 p.m.

Reid jumped at the opportunity to help JJ get lunch for the team. It was well past noon, nearly three in the afternoon and he really needed the break. Morgan and Prentiss had been sniping at each other all morning, Hotch was overly grumpy and Rossi seemed unusually agitated. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife, and going for food seemed to be the only way to avoid it. They waited in line at the coffee shop a few doors down from the station before placing the teams order. They carried the food and coffee back and Reid silently hoped that food would lessen the tension.

8:14p.m.

Tired eyes searched through the many folders and files for the hundredth time that day as they attempted to find even the slightest clue. The room was so silent you could've heard a pin drop. When the phone began to ring six startled agents looked towards the irritating noise and waited for someone to stop it. Morgan pulled his cell phone from his pocket and once realizing it was Garcia put it on speaker phone.

"Hey baby girl, what you got for us?"

"Well after many long hours of searching I have finally found three possibles for your unsub. The first is Jamison Clark, whose wife of seventeen years left him 4 months ago for her boss. Her features are very similar to those of the victims. Second, Brett Johnson, whose wife of three years died six months ago, also fitting the profile of the victims. The last is Harvey Jacobs whose sister died 3 and a half months ago. All three men fit the profile, the rest is up to you my loves."

"Thanks Garcia," Morgan said.

"Computer genius over and out," was her reply before the connection was broken.

"Okay Rossi and Reid head over to the home of Jamison Clark, interview neighbors and anyone else in the surrounding area who might know him. Prentiss and Morgan you do the same in Brett Johnson's neighborhood and JJ and myself will go to Harvey Jacobs." With that the team was on their feet and out the door, hoping that one of these people would be the man they were looking for.

8:46 p.m.

Hotch and JJ were the first to arrive in their assigned neighborhood. The neighborhood was beautifully built as tall colonial houses lined either side of the street. Iron gates sat at the end of nearly every driveway, closed tight to ward off any intruders. They located the suspects' house before interviewing the immediate neighbors and branching out further into the neighborhood. It turns out that Harvey Jacobs sister had killed herself shortly after an ended relationship but apparently the two siblings had never been overly close. Hotch and JJ nodded their thanks before moving on to the next house, the more people they interviewed the less it looked like Harvey was their guy.

9:01 p.m.

Reid stayed close to Rossi as darkness began to fall across the small town. The dark had never been Reid's favourite thing and as the sound of night began to fill his ears the more uncomfortable he became. He jumped back startled when a bat swooped down in front of him before flying back up into a nearby tree. They talked to many of the surrounding neighbors who seemed to have little knowledge of Jamison Clark as he had mostly kept to himself over the few years he and his wife had lived there. After an hour and a half of no information, Reid and Rossi returned to the vehicle frustrated that they were unable to rule him out.

9:32 p.m.

What should have been a fifteen minute drive had turned into over an hour. First Prentiss had spotted a coffee shop and asked Morgan pleadingly to stop, and with little argument he did. After all he had had little sleep in the past few days himself. Then Morgan had taken a wrong turn and they had ended up at the end of some gravel road way out on the other end of town. By the time they had found their way back into town Prentiss had downed her coffee and now had to pee. Morgan found a second coffee shop and while Prentiss relieved herself he bought two new coffees. So after a long drive they finally arrived in Brett Johnson's neighborhood. It was an older part of town and seemingly rundown. Many of the street lights had burnt out and the few that were lit blinked every few seconds, irritating Morgan's eyes. The house that belonged to Brett Johnson was one of the nicer ones on the street but still seemed somewhat rundown and ruined. A cold breeze was blowing causing Prentiss to shiver as she wrapped both hands around her coffee to keep them warm. They walked up to the house next to Brett Johnson's and knocked hoping the owner would still be awake. A light in the living room flickered, presumably the TV. A dog barked before being shushed with a swift kick and someone answered the door. It was an older lady who answered, only pulling the door open far enough to peer through. "What is it?" she asked grumpily. "I'm missing wheel of fortune."

"Sorry to bother you ma'am, but we just have a few questions regarding your neighbor Brett Johnson," Prentiss explained as she tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. The lady eyed her suspiciously before opening the door far enough to let her visitors in.

"He ain't in any kind of trouble now is he? I always thought he was a good boy, never caused much trouble for me like the rest of the hooligans around here."

"How do you know him ma'am?"

"Enough with this ma'am, call me Charlotte," she requested as she waved them towards the living room asking them to take a seat. Most people around here know him, like a said he's a nice kid. Had a pretty wife too, she died a couple months back. Haven't seen him much since then. He used to come over and mow my lawn. They hadn't been married real long, just living in this neighborhood till they could afford to move out into the real world."

"You haven't seen him recently?" Prentiss confirmed.

Charlotte paused for a moment before shaking her head. "Nah, every once in awhile he will come by and check on his house. Losing his wife really tore him up you know." She stood then walking into the small kitchen and poured herself some whiskey before offering it to Emily and Morgan. They both reclined politely. They waited for her to seat herself again before they continued.

"What was the wife like?" Morgan questioned.

"Oh I don't know. Real quiet type, quite pretty. Died in some boating accident down on the river I think. Went to her funeral. It was one of those real sad ones, she was only like 28 I think. Brett had her dressed in this real pretty yellow sundress, she looked almost as pretty dead as she had alive." Prentiss's eyes lit up at the mention of the yellow sundress as she looked at Morgan excitedly.

"You're sure it was yellow?" Morgan wondered.

"Dam sure of it. Just cause I'm old doesn't make me incompetent of remembering things. Now do you want help or are you just here to insult me?" Charlotte wondered.

"No ma'am we were just making sure," Prentiss said. "Thanks for your time, you have been very helpful." The lady just nodded and turned back to her game show as the two agents let themselves out. Morgan rang Hotch's cell phone and waited impatiently for him to answer.

"Hotch, I think we got him."

10:14 p.m.

The rest of the team arrived and secured their vests as they prepared to enter the house of Brett Johnson. They entered the house with practiced ease and began to clear the rooms one by one.

10:32 p.m.

The house had been cleared and now all six agents stood next to each other in what appeared to be the living room. The house looked fairly normal on the inside, furnished with pictures of the young couple hanging on the walls. Spider webs filled the corners and dust covered every available surface indicating no one had lived there in some time. A diploma hung framed on the wall indicating that Brett Johnson's wife had graduated from Yale and had probably had a high power job, linking her further to the victims. Hotch dialed Garcia.

"How may I service you tonight, my pretties?" Garcia greeted.

"Garcia was there any other address listed for Brett Johnson?" Hotch asked. The other end was silent for a moment before Garcia's voice came back.

"No sir, the one I gave you earlier is the only one listed."

"Look for another property connecting to Brett Johnson. Let us know if you find anything as soon as possible."

"Sure thing boss man," and with that the conversation ended.

1:45 a.m. Virginia Present Day

Garcia's arms rested on her desk holding her head. She was sleeping soundly as the computer continued to search for another property linked to Brett Johnson. When the computer dinged alerting her that it had found something she startled awake. She looked at the newly found information before dialing Hotch.

1:48 a.m. Vicksburg, Mississippi

Hotch and the team had only returned to the hotel a short hour ago when his cell phone began to chirp from the nightstand. He reached a tired hand across, searching blindly on the nightstand before his hand grasped it. He answered with a tired 'hello'.

"Hotch, its Garcia. I found a house located along the river bank that is owned by a Stella LaValley. Stella is the grandmother of Kara Johnson, Brett's wife. Stella LaValley passed away nearly a year ago and the house was left to Kara, but the deeds haven't been changed over to Brett and Kara yet."

"Thanks Garcia, good work." Hotch let the team sleep for another short while wanting them very alert, before awaking them as they prepared to head out to the home of Brett Johnson, probable crime scene.

_**A/N: **__**So we are finally on present day, the action is about to begin! I hope the case makes sense; I'm not used to writing case stuff. I was just hoping to piece together something that would lead up to present day. Thanks for reading and to those who have reviewed. Please review!**_


	5. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds**_

Chapter Four- Present Day

4:06 a.m. Mississippi

She was miserable, in pain and freezing lying all alone on the cement floor of a dark room. She had no idea what time of day it was as absolutely no light entered the cracks in the damp cellar. Her captor had left her sometime ago, wrists and ankles bound together on the floor. She twisted her wrists in an attempt to loosen the ropes. She looked in awe at her wrists when she felt the ropes loosen slightly and regained just a little bit of hope.

5:32 a.m.

Drops of rain covered the windshield faster than the wipers could clear them away. Hotch attempted to squint through the rain as he drove at alarming speeds down the water filled streets. Rossi sat next to him completely unconcerned with Hotch's driving technique as he tapped his foot absentmindedly to the beat of the radio. JJ was of course a different story. She sat in the back seat, her hand gripping the door handle for dear life. She closed her eyes tightly when the large SUV began to hydroplane, a small yelp coming from her lips. Hotch quickly regained control, JJ letting out a sigh of relief.

Morgan drove along the roads at his normal frightening speed. The rain seemed to be pelting down harder than it had been even a minute ago. Morgan looked at the clock as he began to press down on the gas pedal even harder, causing the SUV to turn completely sideways as it skidded down the road. Prentiss turned her gaze to Morgan, large eyes gaping at him with fear, but she kept quiet trusting him to regain control. Reid sat in the back eyes squeezed shut as he mumbled something under his breath that sounded like "Please God, not today, not today."

5:56 a.m.

As soon as the car came to a halt Reid opened his door and fled from the SUV glad that the torturous ride had come to an end. Morgan laughed slightly at Reid's abrupt departure from the vehicle. Reid scowled at him before turning to Prentiss for help. Prentiss just raised an eyebrow before she turned towards the road to await the others arrival. Reid crossed his arms with a pout before turning to Morgan and sticking out his tongue. "Relax kid, we're alive," Morgan stated before walking up beside Prentiss. 'True', Reid thought. The day really couldn't get much worse, little did he know, it could, and it did.

6:03 a.m.

Rossi was snoring lightly in the front seat. JJ slapped his arm angrily wondering how he could sleep through such a dramatic car ride. Rossi sat straight up, now alert and looked around as if trying to get his bearings. Then he felt the sting in his arm, realizing what had awoken him from his peaceful slumber he turned and scowled at JJ.

Hotch was trying desperately to keep control of the vehicle but the heavy rains and winds were making it extremely difficult. He let out a puff of air in frustration as he heard Rossi and JJ bickering beside him, breaking his concentration. He looked at the GPS, only 5 miles to go.

6:06 a.m.

Prentiss looked at her watch for what felt like the millionth time in the past five minutes. Where in the hell were they? Morgan and Reid had returned to the vehicle to keep dry while Prentiss had been assigned to watch out for the rest of the team. She squinted through the rain as it ran quickly down her face before dripping off the end of her nose and chin, hoping that they would soon arrive.

6:08 a.m.

With a mile to go JJ actually began to believe they were going to make it scathe free. Hotch had slowed down his pace considerably as water had started to flood the roads, and the wheels began to hydroplane more frequently. She was taking deep breaths in and out, keeping herself calm, as she needed a level head if they were going to catch this unsub.

Hotch held his hands steady on the wheel, forcing the vehicle to drive as straight as possible. He had never encountered such a rain fall in his entire life. Beads of sweat were visible on his forehead as he continued to remind himself that it wasn't that much farther. He wondered if the rest of the team were there yet, wondering if they had survived Morgan's brutal driving and such extreme weather conditions.

6:10 a.m.

Prentiss was now shivering as her clothes were soaked through and clinging to her skin. She was about to say the hell with it and head back to the vehicle when she noticed headlights shining through the blanket of rain. 'Finally' she mumbled to herself before hurrying to get Morgan and Reid and strapping on her vest. It was time to take down another unsub she thought to herself and awaited Hotch's instructions.

JJ threw her hair up in a slick ponytail before putting on her vest and jumping out of the vehicle. Morgan, Prentiss and Reid were already standing with their vests on ready to go. She turned her attention to Hotch and awaited his instructions.

Morgan's hands were shaking with anticipation as he awaited the arrival of the other team members. He startled when the back door was pulled open and Prentiss stuck her head in. "They're here," she announced as she grabbed her vest and fastened it around herself. Morgan jumped out of the vehicle quickly and headed over to the other SUV and awaited Hotch's instructions.

Rossi was now wide awake thanks to his short nap in the car. He watched as JJ quickly readied herself before stepping out of the vehicle into the pouring rain. He stepped out of the vehicle to stand next to her and awaited Hotch's instructions.

Reid stepped out of the vehicle, slipping in the mud. He grabbed the open car door to steady himself before again attempting to walk towards the rest of the group. He pushed his long hair from his eyes as the water dripping from his bangs distorted his view. He walked up to the rest of the team and awaited Hotch's instructions.

Once the team had gathered in front of him Hotch cleared his throat before beginning instructions. They had about 500 meters to walk before they reached the driveway. They would walk up in two groups, one entering the back door and the other the front. Hotch, Rossi and JJ would cover the front, while Morgan, Reid and Prentiss took the back. On Hotch's signal they were to enter and clear the rooms as quickly as possible. They had two goals, to catch the unsub, and bring out Jesse Taylor alive. After asking if everything was understood the team nodded and they were on their way.

6:13 a.m.

Jesse continued to work away at loosening the ropes around her wrists as she had been doing for the last several hours. They continued to dig farther and farther into her wrists causing blood to flow freely over the ropes and onto the floor. She bit at the ropes pulling forcefully with her teeth as the rope finally gave way. She made quick work of sitting up and undoing the ropes from around her ankles. Feeling along the wall she found the door and to her delight it was unlocked. Her captor had clearly underestimated her abilities but she wasn't about to complain. She climbed the stairs and took off into the night.

6:14 a.m.

Her cries of pain had silenced long ago, now only the sound of the falling rain filled his ears. He sat alone in an empty room nothing but the darkness and a single chair accompanying him. He felt sadness begin to overcome him yet again as visions of his wife danced throughout his mind. It was time again, time to sacrifice another in her memory. He stood slowly from his chair and made his way towards the basement stairs. The sound of the screen door flapping in the wind startled him and he turned to look out into the cloud covered hours of the early morning. He squinted through the rain when he noticed the bright yellow sundress running across the yard and without further thought he dashed out into rain.

6:16 a.m.

Dark clouds rumbled over head just as a flash of lightning illuminated the sky. The team worked their way towards the house as fast as they could against the rain and wind. Morgan, Prentiss and Reid crossed the yard and prepared themselves at the back door waiting to hear Hotch's voice over the radio. Morgan stood facing the door prepared to kick it down as Prentiss stood slightly behind him. Reid faced the back yard, where the raging river ran through no more than 100 feet away, looking for any sign of the unsub, or Jesse Taylor. If not for the bright yellow dress she wore, he would have missed her completely.

Hotch, Rossi and JJ walked up the front stairs, guns ready to be used if needed. Hotch was about to whisper the word 'go' into the radio when Morgan's voice came through the other end.

"Guys, get to the back. Two people are running along the river, it appears to be Jesse Taylor and the unsub. Without a word the three of them were off the front steps and running in the direction of the river.

6:18 a.m.

Reid fell slightly behind Morgan and Prentiss as they sprinted towards the two figures running across the yard. Occasionally one of them would slip and have to get back upright before beginning to sprint again. They were extremely close to the unsub and his victim now, no more than a meter or two away. Morgan leaped at the unsub, pulling him to the ground just as Jesse slipped on the bank, nearly falling into the water. Prentiss caught up with her then, reaching out a hand to help her back up. Just as Jesse began to stand, she again lost her balance, pulling herself and Prentiss into the raging depths of the icy blue water.

_**A/N: **__**Thanks for reading and please review!**_


	6. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds**_

Chapter 5

Present Day- 6:20 a.m.

"Shit," Morgan yelled as he watched Prentiss go tumbling into the river along with the victim, Jesse Taylor. He now had two options, releasing the unsub and saving Prentiss, or holding the unsub until another team member arrived. He looked behind him seeing that Hotch was nearly there, Reid following closely behind. Morgan yelled for Hotch to hurry, his voice lost in the wind. He slapped the handcuffs on the unsub and after what felt like hours Hotch finally appeared beside him. Morgan leaped up and told Hotch to take the unsub. Without waiting for a reply, Morgan took off full speed along the river bank, yelling for Reid to keep up. He came across a small boat that sat on the river bank and began to push it towards the water's edge.

Reid was trying desperately to keep up with Morgan but his legs just couldn't carry him that fast. He continued to slip and slide along the bank careful not to fall into the river himself. Finally near enough to see Morgan through the blinding rain he noticed Morgan pushing a boat towards the river. Reid was about to protest when Morgan shoved him forward into the boat before jumping in himself and pushing away from the security of the shore.

JJ and Rossi led the unsub back towards the front of the house to await the police and ambulances that should have been there by now. The unsub would struggle occasionally only to be stopped by a stern look from JJ or harsh words from Rossi.

Hotch was left alone on the river bank, a radio in his hand so he could alert the others of any information he had on the others whereabouts. Pointless really, as all he could see in the river were the ripples made from the large raindrops hitting the surface.

Prentiss was struggling to keep her grasp on Jesse's arm as they were tossed down the river violently. Every second she could feel Jesse slipping further and further from her grip. Jesse was screaming wildly and kicking her feet as she tried to stay above the water, making Prentiss's task of keeping hold even more difficult. As the current continued to pull them down the river a large rock came into sight, the water forcing the rock between the two. Prentiss held onto Jesse's hand as tight as she could, but the rock forced their hands apart, leaving them alone to fight the battle with the rampant river.

6:23a.m.

Morgan couldn't believe that the rain had failed to let up. It poured down from the sky pelting hard against his dark skin. He continuously wiped at his eyes trying desperately to see through the thick curtain of rain that was blurring his vision. He called out her name repeatedly, it echoing in the distance as he inwardly prayed that she would respond. When nothing but the wind answered his call he held his breath before diving into the rampant depths of the river.

Reid clutched the sides of the boat as it rocked back and forth viciously, water splashing over the sides and soaking his running shoes. His eyes were closed tightly as he tried to keep himself from being thrown overboard into the icy blue water. The sounds of the rain, wind and calls of her name blended together as Reid tried to keep this moment from being etched into his mind forever. He didn't even open his eyes when he heard Morgan jump into the raging water but instead held on tighter.

Prentiss gasped for air when her head bobbed above the surface before she was quickly pulled under again. She tried to swim but the current continued to sweep her under the water. She kicked her feet with all the force she had left in her slowly making her way towards the surface again. Roots from a fallen tree held her under, her shirt catching on a branch. She struggled to get free as her lungs slowly began to fill with water.

6:25 a.m.

Morgan wrestled with the water trying to keep above the surface as he called out her name. Every time the water pulled him under he would look for any sign of life under the surface, although it was too dark to see really anything at all. He reached for a rock that was coming up in front of him using it to hold himself above the water. He searched the top of the water for either Jesse or Emily when something yellow caught his attention ahead. He let go of the rock before quickly swimming towards it.

This had been the worst week of Jesse's life and somehow it had only managed to get worse. She held onto a stray branch as she floated down the river, the cold water numbing her body. She blinked continuously as an attempt to flush the water from her eyes, a mix of the rain and river water. She was still screaming as loud as she could, her voice becoming raspy. Beginning to lose her grip of the branch as the current again pulled her under, she felt two strong arms grab onto her and lift her towards what appeared to be a boat. For the first time in a week, her chances at survival were looking up.

Reid opened his eyes for the first time in minutes when he heard someone calling his name. Somehow the boat had turned around and was now facing backwards as it was pulled down the river, he wondered when that had happened. He turned his gaze back to the water when again he could hear his name above the wind. He squinted through the rain and noticed two heads bobbing above the surface not two meters from the boat. Reid reached for a paddle and began to row ferociously, little progress being made against the strength of the current. Finally close enough for Morgan to grab onto the side, Reid let out a sigh of relief. He struggled as Jesse was lifted into his arms and he attempted to pull her over the side of the boat. When she was up enough to pull herself in, Reid reached his hand to Morgan who was quickly pulled back under by the rushing water.

6:28 a.m.

Air escaped her lungs and was slowly replaced with water. She tried to remain as calm as possible as she tugged at her shirt attempting to pull it away from the branch. When it refused to come free she made quick work of removing her vest and then attempted to get free of her shirt. With one arm out her lungs began to burn and her adrenaline began to fade along with her oxygen supply. Now kicking fiercely as she attempted to remove her shirt, she quickly tired herself out before she could no longer find the energy to move her limbs. As the burning worsened she felt her eyes begin to close, she was dying a painful death, she just hoped it was fast.

Morgan grabbed at the fallen tree in front of him finally able to take a proper breath as he held himself above the water. Still no sign of Prentiss and he was beginning to doubt she would make it out alive. As he turned to see how near Reid was he felt something hit his leg. About to kick it away he realized what it was and reached below the surface to grab for it. From the murky depths he pulled out Prentiss's vest.

6:30 a.m.

JJ and Rossi were now standing at the river bank where they had left Hotch minutes before. He too had now disappeared and the two of them shared worried glances when no response was heard on the radio.

Hotch was now running along the river bank looking for any sign of the others. He had dropped his radio farther back, it falling into the water before he could catch it. The rain had let up slightly but was still proving to be a nuisance as he worked his way farther and farther down the river. From somewhere in front of him he could hear Prentiss's name being carried along with the wind.

Reid had no idea what to do. His stomach was still doing flips as the boat continued to rock, giving him a slight dose of sea sickness. Jesse Taylor, injured and bleeding in his arms was sobbing loudly as she begged for him to take her to shore. He had not seen Morgan's head reemerge from under the water in several minutes and still no sign of Prentiss could be seen. Lightning struck a tree next to the bank causing a loud bang. Reid was now wishing he was back in the SUV thinking that even Morgan's driving would be blissful compared to this.

Morgan dove below the branches pushing twigs away from his face looking for any sign of Prentiss. Beginning to run out of breath he made his way back to the surface before diving under once again.

So this was what death felt like, complete and utter nothingness. She couldn't see anything, hear anything, or feel anything. She was just there, a strange presence floating in a dark world. Wherever she was she had to admit it was a huge step up from the freezing depths that she last recalled being in.

6:31 a.m.

He almost let out a scream of joy, before remembering he was under water when he saw her. His happiness was soon replaced with panic when he noticed she wasn't moving. Her shirt was half off and seemed to be caught on a branch. Her arms floated nonchalantly at her sides, only moving due to the strong current. Her eyes were closed and her chin was touching her chest. He swam towards her as fast as he could against the current. He yanked at her shirt with all the strength and adrenaline he had built up tearing it from the branch. He pulled her out from under the tree kicking wildly screaming for Reid to hurry the hell up. He braced Prentiss between himself and the tree trying his best to keep them both above the water.

6: 33 a.m.

Reid felt a huge weight lift off his shoulders when he saw Morgan up ahead with Prentiss. The boat continued to float down the river, stopping abruptly when it came into contact with the fallen tree. Reid struggled even more this time as he attempted to pull Prentiss's dead weight aboard. Even Jesse stood attempting to help the two men pull her up. Finally getting her into the boat Reid collapsed on the seat, too tired to stand. Only when he noticed that Prentiss wasn't breathing did he again begin to panic.

Morgan pulled himself aboard the small boat not even attempting to quiet Jesse's sobbing, and Reid's rambling. He turned to Prentiss and began to apply all of his knowledge in first aid to saving her life.

_**A/N: As you may have noticed there is a piece from the prologue in this chapter. I just placed it there so the story would run more smoothly. There will probably be about one more chapter after this one.**__**Thanks for reading and please review!**_


	7. Chapter 6

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds**_

Chapter 6

6:34 a.m. Virginia

The rain had now slowed to a slight drizzle, the thunder had quieted and only the odd flash of lightning could be seen across the sky. JJ let out a sigh of relief when Hotch came into view up ahead seemingly yelling something across the water.

Rossi was nearly out of breath. Never had he realized how fast JJ could move when she was in blind panic mode. When Hotch had failed to reply to the third call through the radio, JJ had taken of down the shoreline like a bat out of hell. He had never felt so happy in his life when he noticed JJ begin to slow as Hotch came into site, giving him time to catch his breath.

It was their yelling that had alerted Hotch of their presence. He stopped abruptly, skidding slightly in the mud before coming to a complete standstill. He shielded the rain from his eyes with his hand as he looked out across the river. Stuck on a tree he could now spot a boat and its occupants rocking back and forth atop the surface of the water.

Reid was reciting the proper way to perform CPR as Morgan attempted to apply it. Every time Morgan made even the slightest mistake Reid would correct him before spitting out some sort of statistic about the number of fatalities due to the improper application of CPR. Morgan looked at Reid clearly frustrated before saying, "Why don't you do it then, if you are so capable." Reid looked at him skeptically before shaking his head quickly and urging Morgan to continue. Morgan continued the method over and over again, ready to give up when Prentiss didn't even as much as twitch.

Once they caught up to Hotch and saw the situation Rossi yelled into the radio for rescue units to make their way towards them as quickly as possible.

Jesse pleaded for Morgan to save Prentiss. Emily had saved her life. She had held Jesse above the water as much as possible during their rough ride down the river together. As they had been tossed and turned violently in the water Prentiss had put her all into keeping Jesse alive. Jesse closed her eyes and began to pray that Emily wouldn't lose her life due to saving hers.

Prentiss felt herself being pulled from her world of nothingness as pain once again began to flood her body. She struggled to go back to the world of unconsciousness, but was pulled out again when she felt herself begin to choke on water.

Morgan looked at Reid when water began to gurgle from Prentiss's mouth, unsure if that was supposed to happen. Reid nodded his head encouraging Morgan to continue what he was doing. Morgan felt completely and utterly exhausted as he continued to apply CPR but he wouldn't let himself give up on her, not yet. His eyes lit up when she began to cough and choke, before turning on her side and vomiting copious amounts of water onto his shoes.

Reid jumped in the air when he saw Prentiss begin to come to life, rocking the boat just a little too much for his comfort. So he sat back down and silently waited for her to open her eyes.

Jesse was so grateful when the agent who had helped her began to revive. She was even more elated when she noticed the rescue team on the shore about to save them from this small boat that still rocked in the river. Tears ran silently down her cheeks as the day began to look a little better.

6:43 a.m.

One by one they were pulled from the boat and striped of their clothes before being wrapped in numerous blankets to avoid hypothermia. Prentiss was still unable to stand on her own, as she was still fading in and out of consciousness, her lips a light tinge of blue. Her team was huddled closely around her only leaving enough space for the paramedics to work. Emily had never been so happy to be alive as she watched her team chatting quietly around her. Hotch handed Morgan another blanket to wrap around his shoulders as Morgan thanked Reid for his help out in the boat. Rossi was talking with the paramedics about both Jesse's and her own condition, making sure that everything was going to be fine. JJ held her cell phone to her ear, presumably talking to Garcia as it was reassuring words that were leaving her mouth attempting to sooth the hysteric voice on the other end of the line. Emily smiled; they certainly were like one big family. Beginning to fall prey to the world of unconsciousness yet again, the last thing Prentiss saw as she was carried away from the shoreline was the raging water, a brilliant shade of icy blue.

The End

_**A/N: Thank you to everyone for reading. I wasn't sure how to end it so hopefully this ending works for everyone. Hope you enjoyed the story, please review!**_


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